Custer

We drove the wildlife loop just outside of Custer and saw a few animals. These antelop were abundant and there were a few giant buffalo.

Just off the wildlife loop is a dome house I spent a few summers at, as a kid. A family friend owned the property and my parents ran an elderhostel (like summer camp for old people) for 6 weeks. My dad drove the big van everywhere and my mom made all the meals. They were very busy and didn't get paid much for it, but it was a cool experience. My sister and I got to know the area around Custer really well. I went to Mount Rushmore about 20 times. I love Sylvan Lake the best. So, Alan and I drove to all the places I remembered, we even visited the dome house which now belongs to someone else. It was all closed up, must be a second home. It smelled just the same. The sage, the pine, the cedar...The whole day I felt like I was 8 again. It was fun.

The Last Sunset

We caught an epic sunset over the Badlands in South Dakota on the last night of our road trip before returning to Minneapolis.

It was a fitting end to a trip that was beautiful and full of light.

Harley

As always, it was great to see Harley in Seattle. Harley and Cathy hosted us for most of our stay there. Harley and I are indeed old friends -- more than 10 years now since we met in Ann Arbor at Business School.

They weren't a lot of people like Harley and I at business school, so it's not a big surprise that we became friends there. Little did I know then what a big impact he would have on my life -- few people I know have had a bigger impact.

Thanks Harley -- for hosting us, for extending an open invitation to me to join you in the desert a long time ago, and for all you and that open invitation have meant to me.

Seattle Hosts

These were our very gracious hosts in Seattle, Cathy and Harley (the people), Ziggy (bernese mountain dog) and Ruthie (the cat). Their house was our home base and it was perfect for us. Alan and I bonded by putting together their new grill and then we all went to the farmer's market and bought food for dinner. Cathy made a super tasty kale salad (yes, kale can be tasty!) and we grilled veggies. Harley and Alan went to business school together, so they are old friends...and it was my first time meeting them all. It was funny to hear stories about Alan from back in the day. Well, some of them were funny.

Ziggy is a gentle giant. Alan had a good time taking him for a walk one morning.

Exploring

That's us on The Needles Highway in the Black Hills of South Dakota yesterday. It was a challenge hopping over rocks in the ten seconds before the photo snapped. I had to be careful to not run over the cliff. Joy only let me do that once.

We're about to get in our car for the drive from Custer to The Badlands in South Dakota. I'm excited! I've been looking forward to hiking and photographing the Badlands since before we left Minneapolis three weeks ago.

Today will be our last day of exploring before the last long drive home -- through South Dakota and Minnesota, from the Badlands to Minneapolis. It's been a magnificent journey of cities and small towns, of open landscapes, blooming flowers, massive mountains, rushing rivers, seeing old friends and making new ones.

We'll keep exploring even when we return and on into the future.

South Dakota

We spent the day on the Needles Hwy and hiking around Sylvan Lake. When I was a kid, I spent a few summers in Custer, SD with my family. I have great memories of these places, so it was especially cool to revisit them now. They are just as cool as I remember, although the lake seemed smaller (I was smaller).

Just like when I was 8, I fed the wild donkeys a carrot. I remember driving the wildlife loop as a kid and they would stick their heads right in your car for food. I saw a woman feeding them frosted mini wheats, which the donkey probably prefers to carrots. But doesn't really seem a natural part of a donkey diet.

This nest was on the edge of Lake Sylvan, actually nestled in the grass on the ground. Unusual place for a nest.

Yellowstone

I am standing in front of Mammoth Hot Springs. They are a hot springs so full of minerals that they form these cool terraced shapes down the hill. The hot water falls down from pool to pool.

Yellowstone teaser

Sky Drama

Montana is big sky country. The rain was so cool from a distance.

Raul

On our drive through the Cascade Mountains in Washington on the Sunday of Memorial Day Weekend, we met Raul at a lookout point and struck up a conversation. We had been following him on his motorcycle and kept passing each other.

Raul is two weeks from being discharged from the military. He has done four tours overseas -- 3 in Iraq and 1 in Afghanistan -- in the Special Forces. He told us that he is going to go to college for a degree in computer science now that he is done with his duty.

Raul couldn't have been a nicer person. He's one of the people I'll remember most from our journey. Welcome back home, Raul! Best of luck to you on your next set of adventures.

photos of photos

Yellowstone was so impressive. We only got through a quarter of what I had planned...Alan shot a lot of photos and unloading the cameras from the car takes lots of time (plus setting up a tripod...) and I really enjoyed watching him capture some great photos. I carry a little point and shoot while Alan takes the serious photos with his big cameras (you should see one of his lenses, it's really long). I help carry stuff to each lookout point. We had fun taking photos of other couples for them in front of waterfalls. There were a bunch of Japanese tourists...people from all over the world really.

Anyways, this is my series of the day. Photos of photos: Alan taking in beautiful Yellowstone. He has taken some incredible photos on this trip. It will be great to see the collection.

Random Stops, WA-MT

Spokane River

On our walk in downtown Spokane this morning, we crossed many bridges over this river...the amount of water flowing was crazy.

Maximum Mountain Fun